PWC: Cosmo lands M1 Audi seat for COTA opener

Veteran open-wheel and sports car racer Guy Cosmo will make his Pirelli World Challenge debut in this coming weekend's season-opening double-header at Circuit of The Americas. Cosmo will drive M1 Racing's No. 23 Tampa Bay Jaw Surgery Audi R8 LMS ultra.

Cosmo's first shot at sports car sprint racing comes as car owner and driver Dr. Walt Bowlin is set for a select schedule of World Challenge races this year in the GTA class, with the COTA event not on that list. But with the stand-alone World Challenge season opening race weekend being staged just down the road from the M1 Racing headquarters in Dallas, the program came together for Cosmo to jump in and take the helm.

"I'm really excited to make my World Challenge debut and to get the chance to race this Audi R8 LMS Ultra for M1 Racing. I want to thank Walt and Tampa Bay Jaw Surgery for making this happen, as well as Paul Mata from M1," said Cosmo (LEFT). "I've been coaching Walt since late last year and though we were not planning on running COTA, we got to talking and everything came together at the last minute. I'm looking forward to this."

Tampa Bay Jaw Surgery is a leader in the treatment of conditions and diseases associated with the oral and maxillofacial complex. Founded by Dr. Bowlin, it has been providing quality surgical services state wide in Florida since 1999. New centers will be opening in Texas, Florida and other parts of the Southeast in the near future.

The visit to the 3.4-mile circuit is not the first for Cosmo, scored a runner-up finish in ALMS competition there aboard a P2 entry. Cosmo has driven a range of GT machinery on the circuit, including testing the Ferrari Challenge 458.

"I've worked with Paul (Mata) in the past and have driven the Audi a few times but will need to get more familiarized with it in short time," added Cosmo. "Fortunately I have experience at COTA so it should be pretty straightforward to put down the headset from coaching and put on the helmet to go race. I know a lot of the teams were down there last week to test so we might have a little bit of catch up to do but I'm ready and I know the team is as well."

Cosmo opened the year as reserve driver for the visitflorida.com line up at the Rolex 24, and the popular pilot is looking forward to his first taste of World Challenge action this weekend.

"Pirelli World Challenge has seen incredible growth in the past few years and this season in particular will be extremely competitive," said Cosmo. "The sprint format will be a welcome change for me where I can focus on myself and the car without the compromise of a teammate, and to do all this at a world-class racetrack like Circuit of The Americas is just fantastic. I am ready to rip."